Clothesline-prop holder



Jan. 20, 1931. H. H. M KINNEY 1,789,765

CLOTHES LINE PROP HOLDER Filed Jan. 20, 1930 NVENTOR BY I W'TNESS ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 20, 1931 HENRY H. MCKINNEY, 0F BURGETTSTOWN, PEN NSYLVAN IA oLo'rHEsLrNE-rnor HOLDER Application filed January 20, 1930. Serial No. 422,167.

This invention relates to a holding means for employment in connection with a clothes line prop, and the invention has as its primary object to provide a prop which, when once engaged withthe clothes line, will remain in engagement therewith regardless of heavy winds or displacement thereof by playful children or from any other cause, so that the clothes, fastened over the line, will not be liable to come in contact with the ground surface and become soiled.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for the purpose stated in which the clothes line engaging unit is so con structed that the propmay be manipulated to engage this unit with the clothes line and regardless of the distance at which the line is located above the ground,'will act in such a manner that the engagement of the said unit with the clothes line may be elfected without the necessity of making repeated attempts to accomplish this result, and with great facility and in a few moments time.

Another object of the invention isto so construct the clothes line engaging unit that the clothes line cannot possibly become disengaged from the unit nor the unit from the clothes line, through any disturbance or displacement of the prop.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claims,

In describing my invention in detail. reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which 2-- Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of'a clothes prop embodying the invention arranged at the intermediate ortion of a clothes line.

Figure 2 is a similar view, in detail of the upper portion of the prop and illustrating clearly the clothes line engaging unit.

Figure 3 is a view in elevation taken at right angles to Figure 2 and showing the detent member of the unit in closed position in full lines, and in open position indotted lines, the clothes line being shown in section. Figure i is a view similar to Figure 3 but looking at the opposite side of the unit.

In'the drawing the prop, proper, is indicated by the numeral 1 and may be of wood or any other material, and of any desired length, and the numeral 2 indicates the clothes line, and the numeral 3 the posts betweenwhich the line is strung. The clothes line engaging unit is indicated i i-general by v the numeral 4, and the same comprises a memher which may be formed from sheet metal and which comprises an attaching portion'5 which is disposed against one side of the prop l at the upper end portion thereof, and at its upper portion the attaching member 5 is formed with a notch 6 which includes a substantially semicircular lower end wall- 7, preferably of a diameter to accommo'datethe clothes line 2, and the said attaching member 5 is formed at one side of the recess with an upstanding arm 8, which extendsvertically fora portion of its length and is directed, at the upper portion of its length, laterally,

above the notch 6, this arm being provided at its endwith a head which isindicated by the numeral 9. At the opposite side of the notch 6 there'is for'med an upstanding portion 10 which constitutes a shoulder which is located opposite the inner edge of the lower portion of the arm 8 and has a slightly downwardly inclined upper edge 11. The line retaining member of the unit is indicated in general by the numeral 12 and the same is likewise formed of sheetmetal and comprises a body portion 13 through one end of which and the head 9 ofthe arm 8 is secured a pivot pin indicated by the numeral 14, the said body 18 extending from its pivoted end, be-

ide the curved offset upper end of the arm 8. The body of the retaining member 12,- is further provided with a depending retaining finger 15 which extends downwardly from the lower edge of the body at the p1voted end thereof, and the lower end of which finger is designed to be normally held in frictional en gagement with the inclined upper edge 11 of the upstanding portion 10 of the member 4:, r i

the finger 15 being held in such engagement inasmuch as, due to the weight of the body portion of the member and location of the pivot 14 therefor, the member 12 is caused, by gravity, to assume the position shown in full lines in Figures 3 and 1 of the drawing, in which position the said lower end of the finger 15 engages the inclined upper end of the extension 10.

From the foregoing description of the invention it will be evident that the clothes line engaging unit of the prop may be readily engaged with the clothes line to be propped by merely disposing the finger 15 with itsouter edge in contact with one side of the clothes line at any desired point in its length, and then exerting a slight degree of pressure against the propso as toeffect displacement or upward swinging movement of the detent member 12, to permit the clothes line to move past the finger 15 which is at this time swung away from the said projection 10, and after the line has become engaged in the notch 6, the detent member 12 will assume its normal position and, due to the inclination of the upper end 11 of the extension 10, any tendency of the clothes line to leave the notch will merely result in its riding against the inner side of the finger 15, and insure against any displacement of the detent member 12 to permit of disengagement of the line from the line engaging unit, or vice versa. If desired the upper end of the prop 1 may be recessed as indicated by the numeral 10 so as to register with the semicircular wall 7 of the notch Gland also accommodate the clothes line.

lVhat I claim is l. A clothes line prop embodying means forconnecting the same, with a clothes line, said means comprising a member carried by the prop and provided with a clothes line receiving notch and with a portion at one side of said notch constituting a shoulder, and a line retaining member pivotally mounted upon the said member and providedvwith a head extending laterally beyond the pivot and with a finger normally held in engagement with said shoulder, thru gravity, of the member the said shoulder being in the path of movement of the end of the finger.

2. A clothes line prop embodying means for connecting the same witha clothes line, said means comprising a member carried by the prop and provided with a clothes line receiving notch, an arm extending from the member at one side of the notch, a shoulder extending from the member at the other side of the notclnand a detent member comprising a body-pivotally connected with the said arm above the said shoulder, the body being provided with a detent finger extending downwardly therefrom below the pivot and held, by the weight of the body, in engagement with the shoulder.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. 

